Organic Waste Recycling

Characteristics of organic wastes 55

Table 2.20 Characteristics of wastewater from peeling fruits and vegetables a(U.S.EPA 1971)

BOD 5 SS

Product kg/ton

% of plant
waste stream Rate
Beets (blancher/peeler) 88 84 100 kg/hr
Peaches (rinse after peeling) 40 5 kg/ton
Peaches 27(COD) 5 kg/ton
Peaches 4-6 2.5-4 kg/ton
Potatoes (peeler) 9 41 kg/ton
Potatoes 17-36 34-49 kg/ton
Potatoes (peeler chips) 1 2 kg/ton
Potatoes (peeler/ dehydration) 9 41 kg/ton
Potatoes 15
Potatoes (lye peel) 84 89
Potatoes (dry caustic peel) 12 80
Potatoes (lye peel) 171
Potatoes (infra red peel) 119
Potatoes (steam peel) 118
Potatoes (infra red peel) 91
Peach/tomato (flume after peel) 1 383 mg/L
Peach/tomato (rinse after peel) 19 1230 mg/L
Peach/tomato (rinse after peel) 20
Tomato (lye peel) 39
Tomato (lye peel) 35
a Kilograms of BOD 5 or suspended solids per ton of raw product, or per hour of operation

Under anaerobic conditions (i.e. in the absence of oxygen), anaerobic
bacteria will decompose the organic matter as follows:

(COHNS) + anaerobic bacteria ĺ CO 2 + H 2 S + NH 3 + CH 4 + other

end products + energy (2.3)